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Today's News

Recently published columns considered the value of paper recycling and its impact on land use and the demand for trees (Wilson, May 28). Recycling paper does, indeed, suppress demand, and subsequently puts downward pressure on the price of wood fiber. However, a significant elasticity exists in the supply because of the extraction of timber and timber products from our national forests.

Growing up near Long Island, New York in my teens much of my fishing was done on the many beaches brunting on the Atlantic Ocean. Most of our catch would be kingfish (southern whiting), weakfish (southern trout), striped bass and that nasty, ferocious bluefish. Intermixed were skates and my unforgettable sting ray. An occasional catch was the comical blowfish (southern puffer).

The Cedar Key green movement continues to build momentum with Faraway Inn becoming the second business to receive the Green Lodging Program designation from the Florida Department of Environment Protection.

“It's the right thing to do,” said Doreen Bauer, who owns and operates Faraway Inn with her husband Oliver, about the decision to go green. “We've got our flag and we're going to be putting it up this weekend,” she said.

We've all become more aware of our critical responsibility to respect, maintain and conserve Florida's water resources.

At times when our rivers are flooding and water seems to be everywhere we don't want it, water conservation seems unnecessary.

But when we remember that no matter how much it rains only a portion of this water actually seeps back into North Florida's aquifers (which are where more than 90 percent of our drinking water comes from), we have to admit that it is important to conserve this vital resource.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has restructured the Florida Green Lodging Program as of July 1, making changes to the application process, Best Management Practices, and some of the standards and requirements.

The changes to program have been made to strengthen environmental performance and streamline customer service as well as to save state money while continuing to recognize the lodging industry’s achievements, according to Deas Bohn, DEP’s Director of Sustainable Initiatives.

Cedar Key Commissioners made progress on the city’s ongoing overdue garbage bills Tuesday night, passing three separate motions in an effort to get a handle an the approximately $16,000 residential and business debt that has accumulated.

“We need to get on this,” Mayor Sue Colson told commissioners. “And if we don’t solve this soon, it will be on the agenda every week until we do.”

While attending high school graduation for my daughter recently a parent asked me what the secret is to raising children who are successful in school. I was caught a bit off guard. I was emotional as I always am when seeing developing minds recognized for their achievements. I didn’t have an answer ready.

Of all the things that I could have mentioned, the first thing out of my mouth was to encourage a household culture of reading.

The Levy County Emergency Management has filled a gap in the communications loop throughout the region this week with the arrival of eight new satellite phones, according to LCEM Director Mark Johnson.

“This plugs a huge communications hole in Levy County,” Johnson said. “If the area is hit with a major storm and all other communications are down, the satellite phones create an emergency responder communications web. We’ll be able to know exactly what the needs of each community are.”

A Tasing incident that took place in Cedar Key on Dock Street last year has resulted in a lawsuit filed in the United States District Court, Northern District of Florida, Gainesville Division. The lawsuit filed July 22 demands damages and a jury trial.